September 24, 2020

2 Min Read
Safeguard Self Storage Completes Expansion Project in New Orleans

Update 9/24/20 – Safeguard has opened its expanded location at 919B Erato St. The addition comprises 44,346 square feet in 544 units, increasing the property from 33,311 square feet in 459 units. The renovation includes several technology upgrades such as smart access control, which allows customers to enter the building, storage area and individual units via their mobile phones. The facility also has a “living vegetation” roof to help reduce its carbon footprint.

“Safeguard is celebrating our 31st year in the New Orleans market, and we are excited to expand our presence in the vibrant warehouse neighborhood,” said Mark Degner, CEO.

7/17/18 – Safeguard Self Storage, which operates 75 facilities throughout the eastern states, received planning-commission approval last week to build a new three-story building next to its five-story facility at 919 Erato St. in New Orleans. The plans for 931 Erato St. include replacing a single-story warehouse, which was used as an office for a private security company, with a 63,000-square-foot storage building containing 509 units, according to the source.

The project will require a conditional-use permit and a parking variance from the city council. Although the city requires 20 spaces, the plans include only 12. While city planners agreed on the permit, they objected to the parking reduction.

Safeguard’s traffic counts show that only 2.5 cars park at the site per hour, even during busy times, according to Jim Goonan, executive vice president of development. A redesign to add more parking spaces would cause a decrease in green space, storage capacity or the shopfront.

“Taking away that net square footage for parking we’re never going to utilize, we’re really trying not to do it. Plus, the parking on the street that’s not there now or being utilized by the previous tenant will be there for the public,” Goonan said during the July 10 meeting. “We won’t have any use for it. We thought the request for the variance would be reasonable given our operating history.”

The commission unanimously voted in favor of granting the parking variance after commissioner Walter Isaacson suggested it. “In this day and age, we don’t want to ‘over parking lot’ the city,” he said.

Prior to the meeting, Safeguard representatives gave a presentation to the Lower Garden District Association, which sent a letter supporting the project to the planning commission. No none from the public opposed it.

Last month the commission voted to recommend denying a CubeSmart self-storage project slated for the 2600 block of Tchoupitoulas Street. After being subjected to community opposition, the developers withdrew their plans.           

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Atlanta, Safeguard operates facilities in Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The company is owned and operated by Morgan Stanley’s Prime Property Fund.

Sources:
PR.com, Safeguard Self Storage Announces Further Expansion in the New Orleans Market
Uptown Messenger, Safeguard Self Storage’s Three-Story Expansion on Erato Cleared By City Planners

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